1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flow regulator for a water pump, particularly to a flow regulator for a water pump, which automatically controls water outflow of a water pump for regulating pressure and flow of a water supply system, smoothing start-stop cycles of the water pump.
2. Description of Related Art
The water supply of modem high-rise buildings at times is not sufficient for a steady flow of water or, on the contrary, water pressure is too high, resulting in water splashing out of taps. For this reason, water pumps are often installed, generating a controlled water pressure within a certain range.
Methods for regulating water pressure generated by a water pump with a motor include regulating the speed of the motor and turning the motor on and off to keep the water pressure within a pressure range.
A start-stop system for regulating water pressure mainly comprises a water pump, a pressure-sensitive switch at the outlet of the water pump, and a container. The pressure-sensitive switch senses water pressure at the outlet of the water pump and determines the pressure range. When water pressure falls below a lower threshold, the pressure-sensitive switch turns on the pump, increasing water pressure in the outlet. After water pressure has risen above an upper threshold, the pressure-sensitive switch turns off the pump. The container is installed at the outlet, storing water when the pump is turned on and releasing water when the pump is turned off. Thus water pressure will not change rapidly, and start-stop intervals of the water pump are lengthened.
A speed-regulating system for maintaining constant water pressure has a motor, a pressure sensor and a speed controller, which regulates the speed of the motor according to pressure values read by the pressure sensor. Thus stable water pressure is maintained.
As compared to a speed-regulating system, a conventional start-stop system has a motor with fixed speed which is just regulated by being turned on and off. After turning on the pump, an excess outflow of water resulting in too high a pressure leads to instant turning off of the pump. Start-stop cycles of the pump easily get too short, too much energy is consumed, and the lifetime of the pump is adversely affected. Furthermore, an excess outflow of water will obstruct the pump outlet, increasing pressure therein, as well as load on the pump and energy consumption. Therefore, a start-stop system ideally is used with pumps that deliver about as much water as is needed for the intended water supply, such that turning on the pump lets the water pressure increase only slowly and short start-stop cycles are avoided.
Since the motor of a start-stop system, when turned on, operates at a fixed speed, resulting in a constant delivered quantity of water, but demand in a large building varies with time, the pump has to be sufficiently large. Most of the time, however, demand for water is low, and a large pump is a waste of resources. In addition, pressure generated by a large pump will not be stable.
On the other hand, a speed-regulating system allows quickly to adapt the delivered water quantity to needs, avoiding the shortcoming of start-stop systems. However, the components of a speed-regulating system, a speed-regulated motor and a speed controller, are expensive and need maintenance by qualified personnel. Costs of a speed-regulated system exceed that of a start-stop system and are too large a burden for small buildings. For this reason, speed-regulated systems are generally used only in large buildings.
It is the main object of the present invention to provide a flow regulator for a water pump, which avoids too short start-stop cycles, saving energy and increasing the lifetime of the water pump.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a flow regulator for a water pump, which allows to regulate water outflow of the water pump to accommodate variations in demand of water, avoiding large mismatches of the outflow of water and demand at peak times.
The present invention can be more fully understood by reference to the following description and accompanying drawings.